World Twenty20 - Dominant Chris Gayle puts England in instant trouble in World Cup

Gayle turned in a magical display as the West Indies won the Group One opener by six wickets, making 100 not out in just 48 balls and clobbering 11 sixes.

The explosive pursuit of England’s 182-6 was vintage Gayle, who hit dangerman Adil Rashid out of the attack before dominating Ben Stokes, David Willey and Moeen Ali on his way to three figures.

Once the 36-year-old maestro found his groove there was no chance of applying the brakes and Morgan rotated his attack in vain as the ball repeatedly cleared the ropes.

He ended the night dancing on the outfield with team-mate Dwayne Bravo, but England cut a more sobering sight as they departed.

“He was outstanding,” conceded Morgan. “He’s a world-class player and he played really well. You can’t fault him...it was chanceless as well.

“Everyone knows how he plays, he’s played that way for a very long time, and coming into the game we knew if he did get himself in to expect that.

“It was his night. He’s probably the best that’s played Adil over the last year or so and that posed another question that hasn’t been asked in a while.”

When hurricanes like Gayle blow in it is tempting for captains to absolve their side of all blame, presenting themselves as mere victims of circumstance.

But Morgan acknowledged his side’s score had merely been par, nothing more, and gave his bowling attack room for improvement too.

“We could have been better. Our plans were pretty good, our execution was alright,” he said.

“We bowled at about 80 or 90 per cent. I don’t think it was outstanding, but I certainly think we bowled with a bit of aggression.

“There were a number of plans...but (Gayle) has a huge ability to take down any one of our bowlers in one over.

“We thought 180 was competitive, but 200 is what we were aiming for. At no stage did we really get going, guys got in but we never really got away from the West Indies.”

Gayle, later mentioned by coach Phil Simmons in the same breath as the great Sir Viv Richards, revelled in his second T20 international century – and first since the curtain-raiser of the inaugural tournament in 2007.

“I was pumped. Before I went out, Sulieman Benn said ‘entertain me’,” he said. “Hopefully I can entertain again.”

Simmons, who was taking charge of Gayle in a T20 for the first time since taking the reins, said: “Sitting talking to Chris to see how he works it out, it’s just as simple as he makes it look out there.

“He said ‘Rashid is my bowler for the day; I’ve got to take him down’. Simple as that.

“To see Chris destroy an attack like that, the only person in my time I’d put with him is Vivian. He’s up there with Sir Viv in the way he destroys attacks.”

Gayle paid tribute to Marlon Samuels after he helped him lay the platform for the win.

The opener may have stolen the headlines, but it was the 37 contributed by Samuels in a second-wicket partnership of 55 which took the pressure off early in the West Indies’ chase.

“After facing the first over it took a while to get back on strike,” Gayle said of Samuels. “He gave me a chance to pace my innings.”

Gayle, added: “It was a fantastic innings and I’m really happy to finish a game. It’s good to get off on a winning note. We didn’t panic. It was the first game, get it out of the way. We will move on to Sri Lanka ... our next game.”

Yorkshire’s Joe Root top-scored for England with 48, but said there was not a lot that could be done to stop Gayle when he was on such top form.

Root said: “Unfortunately when you come across someone like Chris Gayle in that kind of form on a very good wicket it is very hard work.

“Fair play to him he played extremely well. He hit the ball a long way, good on him.”